Aileen Barron

Aileen Barron and Green Acre Marketing, revolutionising agribusiness marketing in Ireland

When Aileen Barron founded Green Acre Marketing in 2013, she wasn’t just launching a business but challenging the conventions of a traditionally conservative sector. Based in County Waterford, Ireland, her company focuses exclusively on marketing for agribusinesses, filling a vital niche at a time when the digital revolution was only beginning to touch the agricultural world. “We were the first to push those boundaries with agribusinesses,” she explains, “to get away from traditional marketing styles and to bring innovation and new technology.”

Aileen, now Managing Director of the company, identified early on that agriculture needed more than just visibility; it needed tailored communication tools, primarily as marketing evolved rapidly in the digital age. “Marketing was in a space where things were changing,” she recalls, “and we felt that digital marketing was going to become a real factor for agribusiness.” What makes Green Acre Marketing stand out is its forward-thinking approach: not just adapting marketing tools to the sector, but helping clients imagine possibilities they hadn’t considered. This proactive innovation means understanding what currently exists and what can be developed. “We’re constantly asking ourselves, are there other support mechanisms we can bring to them regarding that marketing space?”

Despite the excitement of entrepreneurship, Aileen acknowledges the challenges, especially the emotional and strategic pressures of growing a business. “There’s a kind of loneliness,” she admits, “because you’re making that decision on your own regarding how your business will push forward.” The most challenging hurdles for her were scaling the business, handling finances, and building a team. However, she quickly highlights the importance of surrounding herself with the right people: “I’ve always been fortunate to have a powerful team behind the business.”

For Aileen, support is both internal and external. She knows her limitations and recruits people who can complement her strengths. “Recognising where the weaknesses are in the business, and even within yourself, and putting those systems and people in place to fill those gaps” is her formula for sustainable growth.

When asked what she enjoys most about her job, she doesn’t hesitate: it’s the people. “My customers and probably the people I work with,” she smiles. With clients across Ireland and beyond, and a deep passion for agriculture, her enthusiasm for the sector is evident. “It is an amazing industry to work in. I’m very passionate about agriculture and the future of agribusiness.”

Aileen Barron